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Ernst: Dearborn Street's rebirth starts with swale

Joe Bates measures what will soon be a bioswale in front of Elsie Quirk Public Library in Englewood. Bates works for Close Construction of Okeechobee, which is installing a low-impact, state-of-the-art stormwater sewer system around Dearborn Street.

Published: Thursday, March 14, 2013 at 2:27 p.m.

Last Modified: Thursday, March 14, 2013 at 2:27 p.m.

ENGLEWOOD - If you want a snapshot of the stormwater sewer project that has turned Englewood's Dearborn Street area into a construction zone, Andrew Mosher has it.

"Basically, what we're building is a giant filter," he says. Mosher works for Close Construction of Okeechobee, which won the contract to install the $7.2 million system.

On Thursday morning, he and Joe Bates were finishing a swale in front of Elsie Quirk Public Library. When they're done, the swale will have a layer of matting, a layer of rock, a layer of sand and a layer of potting soil, in which plants will sprout.

If all goes according to plan, the system will not only whisk away rain, but will hold it long enough to filter contaminants before the water empties into Lemon Bay. Some will be stored until its extraction for irrigation.

Bates claims this is a first-of-its-kind. Even if that's hyperbole, it's fair to say the system is somewhat experimental.

Sarasota County has gambled that the reward will offset the risk. That's an educated bet.

In 1999, county leaders recognized that Dearborn Street, essentially Englewood's downtown, faced the type of deterioration that many older downtowns have suffered throughout the country.

In Englewood's case, the small size of lots has made it difficult to construct new buildings, or in some cases remodel old ones, because modern stormwater regulations often require storage of rain water on site, either underground or in retention ponds.

The new stormwater system will relieve that demand, potentially leading to a wave of renovations and development.

The groundwork to rejuvenate the oldest part of town has been laid over the last 13 years through a number of other investments, from parkland to zoning changes to the hiring of a redevelopment coordinator.

And while progress has often come slowly, some of the big-ticket items are coming to a head now.

In addition to the stormwater project, they are:

• Parking lots. Not exactly exciting, and probably overkill on a day-to-day basis, but new lots on Green and Cedar streets, combined with on-street spaces elsewhere, will add almost 300 spaces to Dearborn's inventory. The area keeps expanding its calendar of special events, so more parking will come in handy. Bid requests are going out. Construction could be finished by July. Cost estimate: $1.2 million.

• The veterans memorial and freedom pavilion. The county is ready to entertain bids for the construction. Cost estimate: $1.5 million.

• Two new docks on Lemon Bay at Cherokee Park. The county has all but one permit and is ready to go once the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers signs off. One structure will serve as a fishing pier, the other as temporary mooring for as many as four boats. Estimated cost: $200,000.

If you wonder where all this money has come from, that's easy to answer. It's come from Englewood property taxes, reinvested since 1999 through a complicated formula that tracks the added value of redeveloped or newly developed property.

The reinvestment, set to last until 2029, fluctuates each year. It's been as high as $2.6 million in 2007. This year, it's $1.2 million.

An appointed committee of Englewood residents advises the county commissioners on how to spend the money. Generally, the commissioners follow the recommendations.

While most of the spending has focused on the Dearborn Street area, that may change soon.

Debbie Marks, employed by Sarasota County as the area's redevelopment coordinator, says it's time to shift focus to jobs and housing.

She anticipates working with the Economic Development Corp. to try to lure businesses to Englewood and possibly setting up some sort of nonprofit that would renovate and lease workforce housing.

Money that used to go to Dearborn Street might, for example, go toward bringing central water and sewer to Morris Industrial Park on River Road, which, almost unbelievably, does not have either.

<p><em>ENGLEWOOD</em> - If you want a snapshot of the stormwater sewer project that has turned Englewood's Dearborn Street area into a construction zone, Andrew Mosher has it.</p><p>"Basically, what we're building is a giant filter," he says. Mosher works for Close Construction of Okeechobee, which won the contract to install the $7.2 million system.</p><p>On Thursday morning, he and Joe Bates were finishing a swale in front of Elsie Quirk Public Library. When they're done, the swale will have a layer of matting, a layer of rock, a layer of sand and a layer of potting soil, in which plants will sprout.</p><p>If all goes according to plan, the system will not only whisk away rain, but will hold it long enough to filter contaminants before the water empties into Lemon Bay. Some will be stored until its extraction for irrigation.</p><p>Bates claims this is a first-of-its-kind. Even if that's hyperbole, it's fair to say the system is somewhat experimental.</p><p>Sarasota County has gambled that the reward will offset the risk. That's an educated bet.</p><p>In 1999, county leaders recognized that Dearborn Street, essentially Englewood's downtown, faced the type of deterioration that many older downtowns have suffered throughout the country.</p><p>In Englewood's case, the small size of lots has made it difficult to construct new buildings, or in some cases remodel old ones, because modern stormwater regulations often require storage of rain water on site, either underground or in retention ponds.</p><p>The new stormwater system will relieve that demand, potentially leading to a wave of renovations and development.</p><p>The groundwork to rejuvenate the oldest part of town has been laid over the last 13 years through a number of other investments, from parkland to zoning changes to the hiring of a redevelopment coordinator.</p><p>And while progress has often come slowly, some of the big-ticket items are coming to a head now.</p><p>In addition to the stormwater project, they are:</p><p>&bull; Parking lots. Not exactly exciting, and probably overkill on a day-to-day basis, but new lots on Green and Cedar streets, combined with on-street spaces elsewhere, will add almost 300 spaces to Dearborn's inventory. The area keeps expanding its calendar of special events, so more parking will come in handy. Bid requests are going out. Construction could be finished by July. Cost estimate: $1.2 million.</p><p>&bull; The veterans memorial and freedom pavilion. The county is ready to entertain bids for the construction. Cost estimate: $1.5 million.</p><p>&bull; Two new docks on Lemon Bay at Cherokee Park. The county has all but one permit and is ready to go once the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers signs off. One structure will serve as a fishing pier, the other as temporary mooring for as many as four boats. Estimated cost: $200,000.</p><p>If you wonder where all this money has come from, that's easy to answer. It's come from Englewood property taxes, reinvested since 1999 through a complicated formula that tracks the added value of redeveloped or newly developed property.</p><p>The reinvestment, set to last until 2029, fluctuates each year. It's been as high as $2.6 million in 2007. This year, it's $1.2 million.</p><p>An appointed committee of Englewood residents advises the county commissioners on how to spend the money. Generally, the commissioners follow the recommendations.</p><p>While most of the spending has focused on the Dearborn Street area, that may change soon.</p><p>Debbie Marks, employed by Sarasota County as the area's redevelopment coordinator, says it's time to shift focus to jobs and housing.</p><p>She anticipates working with the Economic Development Corp. to try to lure businesses to Englewood and possibly setting up some sort of nonprofit that would renovate and lease workforce housing.</p><p>Money that used to go to Dearborn Street might, for example, go toward bringing central water and sewer to Morris Industrial Park on River Road, which, almost unbelievably, does not have either.</p><p><i>Eric Ernst's column runs Wednesdays, Fridays and Sundays. Contact him at eric.ernst@heraldtribune.com or (941) 486-3073.</i></p>